Reel.



R. JOHNSTON.

REEL.

[APPLICATION FILED JAN. 29. 1914.

Patented May 4, 1915.

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mvmraa bran EY UNITED; STATES PATENT ()FFICE.

ROBERT JOHNSTON, OF KINGSTON, IEE1\'|'1\TSY.'l'.|VA1 TIA.

REEL.

To all whom itmay concern Be it known that I, ROBERT JOHNSTON, a citizen of the United States, residing at Kingston, Luzerne county, Pennsylvania, have invented new and useful Improvements in Reels, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to reels, and more particularly to that class of reels on which metallic tape is wound or from which it is unwound, though its use is by no means confined to this purpose. description are employed bysurveyors, and civil and mining engineers, and are given very hard treatment. The tape is used in all kinds of weather and is often wound on the reel when wet, and the reel laid aside until again needed. Former reels inclosed the tape which,, under such usage, soon rusted-and became brittle and was easily broken. urthermore, the sulfur water present in greater'or lessquantity in coal mines where these tapes are often used, will quickly destroy or rot the tape if it is not dried out after using.

One object of this invention is to provide a reel which will enable the tape wound thereon, to rapidly dry, the air being permitted to circulate through every part ofthe reel and tape to lessen the danger from rust and corrosion.

Metal tapes of two and three hundred and even five hundredfeet are common, which makes a heavy load, especially after a hard days work, and another object of the invention is to decrease the weight of the reel, Ithough still retaining its strength and duraility.

A further obj ect is to provide a reel which may be more easily carried and leave the hands free to hold surveying instruments or other objects.

Still another object isto provide a neat, compact and attractive device of this nature, which shall be more simple and is an improvement upon former constructions, the operative parts being protected from damage. 7 a

A still further object is to prevent the coils of tape from looping, buckling orbind- Specification of Letters Patent.

Tapes of this Patented May 4, 1915.

Application filed January 29, 1914. Serial No. 815,130.

combinations of parts, all of which will be more fully disclosed hereinafter and par ticularly pointed out in the claims.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a side view of one embodiment of my invention, parts being shown in dotted lines; Fig. 2 is a fragmentary perspective of the spool, to show its construction; Fig. 3 is a detail edge viewpshowing the pressure and guard rolls, and one of the antifriction rollers which support the spool, the latter being partly broken away to disclose its construction; and Fig. 4 is a reduced detail, showing the relation of a pressure roll to the spool.

The spool comprises a pair of annular parallel rims or treads 1, connected by a series of substantially U-shaped cross-bars or whelps 2 to form a skeleton Web on which the metallic tape 3 is wound orfrom which it isunwound. The rims or treads 1 may be of any desired shape in cross section, and the cross-bars or whelps form a ventilated throat which permits ,the tape to dry out very quickly, such operation being facilitated by the interstices between the coils of tape, caused by the clips 4 (Fig; 1) on the tape, which enables the air to have access to the inner layers on the spool. The clips are marked for the graduations of the tape and are numbered to denote the distance measured. I

The skeleton spool is mountedfor rotation in an annular frame arranged concen-.

trically with and encircling the spool. Said frame includes annular and parallel side of said brace rods form axles for antifriction rollers 7, which may be conveniently provided with ball bearings 8 (Fig. 3). Grooved heads 9. at the opposite ends of the rollers form seats for the. treads l constituting the ends or peripheries of the spool, which seats hold the spool in place against disengagement fromthe frame. The grooves also guide the spool as it is rotated in the frame, and the antifriction rollers operate as bearings for and are arranged exteriorly of the spool. A handle 10 fastened to the frame enables the operator to support the reel while he turns a secondhandle or knob 11 projecting from the spool to wind or unwind the tape. Preferably, I arrange three antifriction rollers 7 in triangular relation (Fig. 1) at a point about diametrically opposite the handle 10 'to'support the weight of the spool and tape, there being another roller at that side of the frame where the handle is located, but it will be understood that this particular arrangement does not constitute a material part of the invention and the rollers 7- may be arranged in any other practical relation.

From the foregoing it will be seen that I have provided an easily running spool or drum on which the tape. may be readily wound and unwound. Owing to its inherent resiliency, the tape tends to loop, or expand like the coils of a helical spring, against. confinement when wound about the spool, to prevent which, and to cause the tape to lie snugly in the throat of the spool in tiers or layers, I provide tension means in the form of opposed spring-pressed pressure rolls 12 (Figs. 1 and 3), having their axes substantially parallel with the axis of the spool and arranged to lie in the throat of. the

spool. Arms or supports 13 pivoted tov studs or cross braces 14' on the annular frame carry pintles 15 on which said pressure rolls are journaled, the rolls. being preferably tapered or frusto-conic in shape, with their bases adjacent the opposite sides of the throat of the spool. Each pressure roll eX- tends inwardly from its respective side of the throat more than half way across the throat so that their reduced ends overlap to contact the tape across the entire width of the throat.

Tapering the pressure rolls 12 imparts a slight cant thereto, the reduced ends of the rolls being adjacent to the arms '13,. so that the plane of the base of eachpressure roll lies at an angle tothe side of the throat, as shown in detail in Fig. 4, and prevents frictional contact between, the side of the throat and the base. The efi'ective portions of the pressure rolls, that is, those portions which contact thetape, extend to the respective walls of. the throat to prevent the tape from working up between the bases of the pres-- sure rolls and the, adjacent walls ofthe throat, and binding with. aconsequent liability of-breakage.

E ach arm or support 13 carries a lateral rigid extension 16 in which is mounted a pin 17 arranged preferably radially. relatively to the reel. Guard roll's 18 journaled on said pins'17, contact the rims or treads 1 of the s col to prevent injurious contact between t e skeleton side walls of the throat of the spool and the pressure rolls 12, the guard rolls being arranged to permit the. outer edges of the pressure rolls at-their points of contact with the tape, to lie close against the walls of the throat, as shown in Fig. 4c. 1

S 'ngs 19 preferably mounted on the stu s'or cross braces 14, engage the arms or supports 13 to press the rolls 12 against the coils of the tape to cause the tape to wind 1,13s,ass

snugly in the throat. The arms or supports to also press the guard rolls 18 against theirrespective rims or treads 1. As the tape is wound on the spool it forces the, pressure and guard rolls outwardly, the guard rolls shifting axially across the rims or treads 1 and maintaining a fixed relation between the pressure rolls and the sides of the throat. Flanges 20 on the guard rolls overhang the rims or treads 1 to limit the inward throw of the pressure and guard rolls, which might otherwise effect the disengagement of the guard rolls and treads, whereupon the springs 19 would force the rolls laterally against the cross-bars of the skeleton throat and tend to'prevent rotationof the spool. Preferably, the tape. is fed from that portion of the spool diametrically opposite the handle and over one of the antifriction rollers 7. In winding the tape onto the spool,

' which would otherwise be caused by the con tact of the tape with rigid rods, diminishes the resistance of the tape against ceiling, and permits the tape to run easily, and there is little if any liability of the graduation clips being torn off or loosened during the winding or unwinding of the tape.

The bracing of the frame not only imparts strength, rigidity and durability to the reel and protects the spool and tape against injury, but together with the antifriction rollers, prevents the tape from bulging out past the frame, and kinking or breaking as it is wound or unwound. I

The annular structure of the reel enablesthe operator to thrust his arm through the unobstructed opening in the center to place the reel on his shoulder, thereby leavin his hands free to carry other objects. The s e leton construction reduces the weight of the reel and provides for ventilation of the tape, which is thus exposed instead of being boxed in, as was formerly the case.

The arrangement and formation of the pressure rolls causes the tape to lie snugly in the throat and to wind evenly thereon without buckling. They also prevent the 'tape from binding on the spool so that it cannot be readily unwound, the pressure rolls yielding slightly as the clips 4 pass thereunder. The operating parts-of the reel are all confined within the periphery of the frame to form a compact device and reduce the liability of damage thereto.

Changes maybe made in the form and arrangement of the several parts without departing from the spirit and scope of the inventlon.

What I claim as new, is j 1. Ina reel, thecombination with a spool; of a frame encircling the spool; and antifriction rollers journaled in the frame and engaged by the outer periphery of the spool, to support the spool exteriorly thereof and confine the coils of material wound on the spool.

2. In a reel; the combination of .a spool having, treads; a frame encircling the spool; and grooved rollers journaled in and extending across the frame, the treads seated in the grooves in the rolls.

3. In a reel, the combination of a spool; a frame encircling the-spool; and bearings extending between the sides of the frame, and on which the spool is journaled.

4. In a reel, the combination of a spool; an annular frame concentric to and encircling the spool; anti-friction devices interposed between the spooland frame; yielding' pressure rolls to engage the material wound upon or unwound from the spool; and guard rolls to contact the sides of the spool, to prevent the spool from catching on the pressure rolls.

5. In a reel, the'colnbination of a spool; a

frame to support the spool; means to cause the material wound upon the spool to coil snugly thereon, and hold it in place against accidental uncoiling; and guard means 'carried by the coil-retaining means and conand a spool, the treads of which are sup-.-

ported by the rollers.

7. The combination in a reel, including a frame, and a spool rotatable relatively there:

to; of opposed pressure rolls carried by the frame and adapted to engage the material wound on the spool; and guardrolls rigidly connected with the pressure rolls, to engage the spool and prevent injurious eontactbetween the spool'and pressure rolls. i

8. The combination'in a reel, including a frame, and a spool rotatable relatively thereto; of opposed frusto conical pressure rolls carried by the frame and adapted to engage the material wound on the spool; and guard rolls rigidly connected with the pressure rolls; to engage the spool'and prevent injurious contact between the spool and the pressure rolls.

9. The combination in a reel, including a frame, and a spool rotatable relatively thereto;, of opposed pressure rolls carried by the frame and adapted to engage the material wound on the spool, the outer ends of the respective rolls lying adjacent the opposite I walls of the throat of the spool, with their inner. ends extending past each other; and guard rolls rigidly connected with the pressure rolls, to engage the spool and hold the pressure rolls out of injurious contact therewith. h v r 10. In a reel, the combination with a frame; and a spool rotatably mounted therein; of a pressure roll carried by the frame and adapted to bear upon the coils of material on the spool; and a guard roll having its axis at an angle to the axis of the pressure roll and adapted to engage the side wall of the throat of the spool to preventjinjurious contact of the spool and pressure roll.

11. In a reel, the combination with a frame; and a spool rotatably mounted therein; of a support shiftable relatively to the spool and frame; a pressure roll carried by said support and adapted to bear upon the coils of material on the spool; and a guard roll also carried by said support and adapted to have a fixed relation to saidpressure roll, said guard roll adapted to engage the spool to prevent injurious contact between the spool and the pressure roll.

12. In a reel, the combination with a frame; and a spool rotatably mounted therein; of a pressure roll adapted to bear upon the coils of material on the spool; and a guard roll adapted to engage the side wall of the throat of the spool, to prevent injuri ous contact of the spool and pressure roll, said guard roll having a flange overlying the periphery of the spool.

18. In a reel, the combination with a frame; and a spool rotatably mounted therein; of a swingingarm; a pressure roll carriedby the arm and adapted to bear upon the coils of material on the spool; a guard roll carried by said arm and adapted to engage the side wall of the throat of the spool to prevent injurious contact between the pressure roll and spool; and a spring arranged to force the pressure roll against the coils of material and the guard roll against the side wall.

14. In a reel, the combination with a frame; and'a spool encircled by and turning within the frame; of yielding-pressure rolls a messes spool; and guard rolls to contact the sides of the spool to prevent the injurious contact of the pressure rolls and spool.

15. In a reel, the combination With an annular skeleton spool having treads at its opposite ends; of a frame comprising annular sides concentric with the treads; and grooved bearings journaled' in the sides to form guides for the spool, the treads of which seat in the grooves to prevent disengagement of the spool and frame.

16. In a reel, the combination with a rotatable spool; of a pressure roll adapted to bear upon the coils of material on the spool; a guard member mounted to move with the pressure roll toward and from the material coiled on the spool; and adapted to contact the side wall of the spool; and a spring so arranged as to force the pressure roll against the coils of material, and the guard member against the side Wall.

17. In a reel, the combination with a spool; of a frame encircling the spool; bearings mounted in the frame to engage and support the outer peripheries of the treads of the spool; means to cause the material to coil closely in the throat of the spool when wound thereon; and guards for said means.

18. In a reel, the combination with a skeleton spool; of a pressure roll lying in and extending across the throat of the spool from one side wall, with its axis at an angle to the axis of the spool; and a guard carried with the pressure roll, and adapted to contact a continuous surface to prevent injurious contact between the pressure roll and the skeleton spool.

19. In a reel, the combination with a frame; and a spool; of cross bearings mounted in the frame, which extend across the throat of the spool, and rotatably support the spool in the frame, the bearings adapted to be contacted by the material as it is wound upon or unwound from the spool,'to reduce the frictional drag thereof.

Signed this twenty-first day of January, 1914.

ROBERT JOHNSTON.

In the presence of J. F. ONEILL, KEITH W. Ln'rz. 

